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Italy Comes To South Africa For An Authentic Cultural Experience

06 November 2019

Italy is world-renowned for its famous wines, cuisine and sizzling sports cars. South Africans will get a chance to sample the very best of Italy at the second edition of “Vino in Piazza, Wines of Italy” event from the 22nd to the 24th November at Montecasino, in Johannesburg.

The Italian Wine Show will introduce over 130 wines from 11 different regions located in the North, centre and South of Italy: Veneto, Piedmont, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Lazio, Umbria, Abruzzo, Puglia, Sardinia and Sicily to the South African market.

Some of the Italian wines being showcased include a wide range of red, white and rosé wines, including sparkling ones which are better known as Prosecco or Spumante.

The Vino In Piazza event will also host one of the most renowned Italian Chefs, Alfonso Caputo from his Michelin Star Restaurant ‘La Taverna del Capitano’ in Nerano (Napoli) who will not only delight with his cooking & wine-pairing skills but will also conduct an interesting workshop on Italian cuisine.

And of course, what’s an Italian event without serious horsepower on show and some of the latest models from the legendary Ferrari and Ducati brands will be on display at the event.

Vino in Piazza is an event organised by the Embassy of Italy to South Africa, the Consulate General of Italy in Johannesburg, together with the Italian Trade Commission and the Italian Chamber of Commerce. Hosted by Montecasino, the event’s aim is to promote Italy as a destination for tourism and business as well as to showcase Italian products and brands.

“As the Italian Embassy in South Africa, we are very proud to bring a taste of Italy to South Africa and in particular to Montecasino – this event is one of the many that the Italian Government has organised in South Africa and across the world to promote ‘la settimana della cucina Italiana’, which this year will focus on ‘the culture of taste’ and the ‘science behind wine-making’ specifically,” says Italian Ambassador to South Africa, Paolo Cuculi.

The Italian Embassy will also be hosting ‘The South African & Italian wine research innovation Workshop’ hosted by both Italian and South African Oenologists who will impart their knowledge and best practices on the science & study of wine as a means to pursue new collaborations between the two wine-making countries.

“The Italian wine show will not only be a unique event for wine lovers and connoisseurs but will also provide a cultural experience and exchange between our two beautiful countries’, remarked Marco Petacco, the Consul General of Italy in Johannesburg. “We are very proud to be hosting the 2nd edition of Vino In Piazza, which will take the festival-goer on a genuine Italian wine & food journey in a Piazza just like in Italy, on our doorstep at Montecasino in Johannesburg” added Mr Petacco.

The 3-day event will include 20 Italian Wine Exhibitors, 5 Italian pop-up restaurants & food kiosks; 5 Italian food vendors as well as partner & sponsors showing their unique products & services.

This year’s Vino in Piazza will also have a Kinder Play Area, hosted by the brand popular for their Kinder Joy products, along with Ferrero and Nutella, as well as Cremosa Italian ice cream and one of the best coffee brands in the world, Lavazza.

There will also be eight wine-pairing sessions with arguably the best Italian Chefs in South Africa. These sessions will provide visitors with an opportunity to taste unique Italian wines as well as to partake in food & wine pairing presentations which will provide essential knowledge on the wines, their unique flavours, how to enjoy them and with which foods to best pair them.

“We are very excited to bring these top Italian wine producers to South Africa. This event not only opens the door for South African wine lovers to enjoy a taste of Italy in their own backyard, but it also provides an opportunity to further enhance trade between the two countries”, said Marco Pintus, Director of the Italian Trade Agency in South Africa.

The Italian exhibitors are synonymous with extremely high-quality wines as the Italian Wine Show aims to expose the best image of Italian wine in South Africa and this year, we have also added some authentic Italian food products to taste & purchase as well.

Mike Page, operations director and complex general manager of Montecasino said: “The Tuscan way of life inspired the theming of Montecasino. We strive to encapsulate the essence of Italian life at every touchpoint. This event, made possible, by partnership of the Consulate General of Italy, Italian Embassy, Italian Trade Agency and Italian Chamber of Commerce, allows us to extend this vision to the most authentic showcase of Italian lifestyle possible.”

There are also some exciting prizes to be won: two return tickets to Rome courtesy of Alitalia valued at R30 000; 2 tickets for a 3-Day Cruise to the Portuguese Island in an Ocean View Cabin valued at R17,210.00 courtesy of MSC Cruises; Ferrari hampers valued at R2,000.00, Three Lavazza Coffee machines valued at R 1,500.00 each; A Ferrari hamper and Ferrero limited edition pyramids valued at R1,000.00 each. For more information on how to enter please follow us on Facebook and Instagram @VinoInPiazza.

Tickets for the Vino In Piazza – Wines of Italy are available at R160.00 per day and can be purchased at www.taptickets.co.za/event

Tickets include: A wine tasting glass, 20 wine tasting vouchers, one Lavazza coffee voucher, and one wine pairing session voucher (first come first served).
Group Tickets: Pay R1200 for 10 tickets, instead of R1 600

Kinder Chocolate will be hosting children aged 3 – 11 in a safe & secure play area just overlooking the piazza.

This play area will be manned by qualified child minders and will consist of :